The NEXT Dock

5 Things That Would Be Impossible Without Truck Drivers

While many people can appreciate the hard work that goes into trucking, most of the general public has little idea how much of their everyday life is possible thanks to the men and women who drive trucks. In honor of Truck Driver Appreciation Week officially starting, we thought we'd help truck drivers better explain to their peers why trucking is the backbone of the United States by telling them 5 things that would not be possible without truck drivers.

Basic hygiene: Keep clean and healthy would be virtually impossible without the work of truck drivers. Besides the fact that trucks transport soap and other cleaning materials to stores across the country, trucks are also responsible for helping people take trash away from their neighborhoods and homes. Without garbage trucks, streets would be filled with trash within days. P U.

Driving: There would probably no vehicles on the road without trucks. Car carriers transport vehicles from location to location, but even if people had cars, they wouldn't be able to drive without the fuel that trucks also bring. Maybe this will make those aggressive drivers be more patient and kind when driving around trucks.

Stable Economy: We don't call truck drivers the backbone of America lightly. Without them, America's economy would totally collapse. According to the American Trucking Association, truck drivers move approximately 70% of all freight in America. Truck drivers earned $603 billion in 2011; losing that amount of revenue every year would ravage the country's economy.

Medical Care: While the medical field may seem the most far removed from the trucking industry, the two are closely intertwined. Truckers transport tons of medical supplies, and since many hospitals only order supplies on a need basis, truckers stopping would quickly leave many hospitals without critical supplies and thus unable to provide proper care.

Public Safety: If trucks stop, so do many emergency services that depend on fuel, such as police, fire, and rescue. Additionally, without regular transport of clean water, dams and other water supplies across the nation will quickly become contaminated, putting the nation at risk of waterborne diseases.